The Houston Middle School band is celebrating all of their hard work after receiving perfect scores in their Band Concert Festival performances. The Concert Festival is not a competition, but instead it is used to score each band on their overall performance. It is used to tell directors and students alike what they need to improve on and what they are doing right. It is held at the University of Memphis, and for HMS, it couldn’t have gone any better, with each judge awarding them a perfect score.
Band director Spencer Nesvick was incredibly proud of his students and their hard work. He shared that receiving a perfect score even once is a huge success, but his now eighth grade students have received a perfect score twice. They were also awarded perfect scores last year as seventh graders.
Percussion instructor Jacob Hargrove was also able to help prepare students for this event. Mr. Nesvick is so thankful to GMSD for providing the opportunity to have Mr. Hargrove come instruct percussion students twice a week throughout the whole school year. Mr. Nesvick is grateful to Mr. Hargrove for what he was able to teach these students saying, "His impact on our percussionists, who are responsible for playing all the instruments in a concert percussion section, is immeasurable, and his love for music spilled over from our percussionists to other members of the band...I could not have taught all the things needed for the high scores without his help and advice."
Eighth grade Houston Middle Schooler, Lukas Boston shared, “It was just amazing to get all ones straight down the page." His bandmate Marco Ovando said, “We all earned it and worked hard, and Mr. Nesvick really prepared us.” He also shared that although they were super nervous, they all had a good time getting to perform. Seventh grader Anna Ulrich chimed in that as seventh graders, they were not expecting to get a perfect score, “When they told us we had received perfect scores, we were all really excited.”
The students would also like to give a special thank you to Mr. Nesvick for encouraging them to be their best.
On May 16, Mr. Barry Trobaugh from the American School Band Directors Association came to Houston Middle to present Mr. Nesvick and his students with their award of achievement. Mr. Trobaugh spoke to the students to ensure that they understood how important this recognition is and that their hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed. Houston Middle is ranked the No. 2 band in the state, and they continue to work hard everyday. Thank you to Mr. Trobaugh and the American School Band Directors Association for presenting this award to Mr. Nesvick and his students, and congratulations to these mustangs who worked so hard and achieved a perfect score!